UV cure systems are widely used in industry to cure inks, paints, adhesives and coatings by ultraviolet radiation. Several types of UV lamps systems are available. One commonly used system utilizes mercury arc lamps to generate the necessary ultraviolet radiation. These lamps generally comprise a quartz bulb containing an electrically excitable gas, such as mercury, sealed within the bulb. The bulb is sealed by insulating end caps which also contain electrodes for electrically exciting or ionizing the gas to create and sustain a high voltage arc. Mercury arc lamps are typically supported in a lamp assembly by spring clips, whereby the lamp may be easily removed and replaced as required. The clips are shaped to engage the lamp and to support it at a desired location within the lamp assembly. Mercury arc lamps are generally used with a reflector which helps to direct the UV energy emanating from the lamp to a substrate surface which is to be cured, dried, or otherwise affected by the energy.
In order to optimize curing efficiency, it is important to accurately position the mercury arc lamp with respect to the reflector and to the substrate. One drawback of prior UV lamps systems has been the difficulty associated with accurately positioning the bulb. Even when the bulb is initially installed in the correct position, the flexibility of supporting components often fail to maintain accurate positioning of the bulb, especially when exposed to the high heat generated by the UV lamp. This problem is particularly troublesome for lamp assemblies which are fabricated from sheet metal components. Accordingly, there is a need for a device for accurately positioning a UV lamp within a lamp assembly which overcomes drawbacks of the prior art such as those discussed above.